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NEW TALENTS are expected to emerge when the 14th Petron-National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) men’s basketball tournament gets going today at the Olivarez College gym.

The Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals are back from a one-year suspension and will start their campaign to regain the title they should have defended last season when they clash with PATTS School of Aeronautics.

With playmaker Bong Melocoton gone, the Generals will bank on a new generation of standouts as they plunge into action in the second match of the day at 12:30 p.m.

Earlier, Asian College of Science and Technology Lightnings will try to make their presence felt when they take on host Olivarez College earlier at 11 a.m. after colorful opening rites at 9 a.m.

Unibersidad de Manila will meet the National College of Business and Arts Wildcats at 2 p.m. in the tournament which has Molten and Mikasa as the official ball.

"This is a worthy cause which should be supported. A lot of talents come from this league. Petron is all about giving equal opportunity to the youth. We thought this would be a good start," said Charmaine Canillas, who is Petron’s advertising and promotions executive.

The tournament boasts of 11 cage squads seeing action, and with a proud history of having produced cagers, who have excelled beyond their collegiate years.

Among the stars who have brought prominence to the league as former Philippine School of Business Administration standout Marc Pingris and the De Ocampo brothers, Yancy and Ranidel, and Chris Pacana, who are all products of the St. Francis Doves.

This is also the league where Koy Banal started his brilliant coaching career after he once led the PSBA Jaguars to a crown following a 14-0 sweep.

The Doves, coached by Gabby Velasco, will seek their second straight crown after taking it last year from the Arellano University Flaming Arrows.

The Flaming Arrows, with Leo Isaac calling the shots, will be bannered by a young set of players, and will give the regular campaigners a hard time as they try to fight their way into the finals again.

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Host Asian College of Science and Technology banked on an explosive start to put away Olivarez College, 86-73 yesterday at the start of the 14th Petron-National Capital Region Althetic Association (NCRAA) men's basketball tournament at the Olivarez Sports Center.

Harvey Igtos unloaded eight of his nine-point tally in the first period, and with the terrifc outside shooting of Nico Pupos and Lito Casil, the Lightnings never looked back after taking a 26-10 edge with 1:10 left.

Pupos and Casil kept the Sea Lions at bay as they erupted with a hail of triples which enabled the Lightnings to take charge with a 23 point advantage in the early goings at 26-3.

In the second game, Ronjay Buenafe unloaded 26 points to lead the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals past PATTS school of aeronautics, 69-63.

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Generals Survive In NCRAA Opener
by Jonas Terrado

The Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals fought the strong challenge by PATTS College of Aeronautics Sea Horses to pull a 69-63 on the opening day of the 14th Petron - National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) season at the Olivarez College Sports Center in Paranaque City.

After exchanging leads during the rest of the contest, the Generals finally took control in the fourth quarter, taking its biggest lead at 61-49 on John Valderama's three-pointer with 7:06 left.

But, the Sea Horses outscored the Generals with a 14-4 run over the next five minutes to pull within 63-65 with 2:34 left. However, Ronjay Buenafe drilled a triple, giving EAC a 68-63 advantage 23 seconds later to put the game in the bag.

Buenafe, the Mail and More standout in the Philippine Basketball League, led all scorers with 26 points. Alain Musni and Valderama had 13 and nine points apiece for the Generals, who are making its first NCRAA match in almost a year after the 2004-05 NCRAA champions were suspended for playing the NCRAA and the Home and Away Invitational League at the same time a season ago.

It was a tough loss for PATTS, who fought tooth-and-nail for three quarters before running out of gas in the end. The Sea Horses, answered a 0-9 start with a 17-12 first quarter lead behind RJ Cui and James Abugan.

In the third quarter, PATTS took a 47-44 lead on a three-point play by Rey Campos with 2:22 left for their last lead of the game.

Cui scored 19 points while Abugan contributed 18 markers.

In the first game, the Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) Lightnings defeated host school Olivarez College Sea Lions 86-73.

Welan Munoz led ACSAT with 22 points while Nicho Pupos and Lito Casil had 18 and 13, respectively. Sammy Isidro scored 27 points and Raymund Deveratura had 13 markers off the bench for Olivarez

The Lightnings demolished the home team right through the start of the match, leading 26-3 in the first seven minutes and led 52-34 at intermission.

Olivarez came back in the third quarter at 56-63 but never came close since.

ARELLANO UNIVERSITY and La Salle-Dasmariñas displayed what they are capable of doing yesterday in the 14th Petron-National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) men’s basketball tournament at the San Andres Socio Civic Center court in Malate, Manila.

Arellano, which changed its moniker this year from the Flaming Arrows to the Chiefs, in honor of the Philippines’ first Chief Justice Cayetano Arellano, sustained a fluid scoring attack to tame Philippine School of Business Administration, 84-75, in this 11-school tournament backed by Petron Corp.

On the other hand, the La Salle-Dasmariñas Patriots squandered a 27-point advantage, but leaned on the heroics of Angel Salado in the endgame to put away the National College of Business and Arts Wildcats, 93-88.

The victories enabled the Chiefs and the Patriots to join the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals and the Asian College of Science and Technology Lightnings in the early lead at 1-0.

The Wildcats, who missed point guard Lester Opalia to a one-game suspension after he was thrown out during their won game over PATTS School of Aeronautics last Saturday, fell behind with their 1-1 win-loss slate.

Alfie Martinez and Gio Ciriacruz showed the way with 26 and 13 points, respectively, for the Chiefs in this tournament with Molten and Mikasa as official balls.

The two got Arellano University’s offense going when they took charge during a 7-0 spurt at the start of the first period, allowing the Chiefs of coach Leo Isaac to move in front, 25-19.

Salado saved the day for the Patriots when he lured Alvin Cruz into a foul, and then sank two gift shots with 13.2 seconds to go, giving DLSU-D a 92-88 edge.

The Wildcats rallied from a 56-73 deficit, with Cesar Evangelista capping the 18-0 blitz with a 3-point play, 74-77, six minutes left.

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Arellano edges ACSAT

Manila Bulletin November 23, 2006

The Arellano University Chiefs weathered off repeated rallies by the Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) Lightnings to score a 78-74 triumph yesterday in the 14th Petron National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) men's basketball tournament at the Emilio Aguinaldo Sports Center.

Gio Ciriacruz scored 20 points, including two charities off Welland Munoz with four seconds left to lift the Chiefs to their second straight win and tie the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals for the lead.

Alfie Martinez showed the way for the Chiefs with 20 points. HIs free thorw with 21 ticks to go allowed the Chiefs to shatter a 74-74 count.

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ACSAT upsets EAC

The Asian College of Science and Technology Lightnings upset reigning UCAA champion and current NCRAA standings leader Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals. The final score was ACSAT up by around 7 points. Don't know the exact score but ACSAT was trailing by as much as 18 points during the latter parts of the 3rd quarter. A barrage of 3-pointers from ACSAT gunners Lito Casil and Nico Pupos at the start of the 4th allowed the Lightnings to catch up with the Generals.

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Lightnings strike on tough EAC Generals in NCRAA

Philippine Star

Nico Pupos fired a career high 40 points as the Asian College of Science and Technology Lightnings pulled off an 89-80 overtime upset win over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals in the 14th National Capital Region Athletic Association(NCRAA) men's basketball tournament at the Arellano Legarda Gym.

Igtos, who delivered only 11 points with Lito Casil, rose to the occasion with 2:32 left, as he buried a triple and then scored on a drive, putting the Lightnings ahead en route to their second win in four matches.

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Lightnings shock Jaguars, 95-84

Manila Bulletin november 29, 2006

The Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) Lightnings shrugged off a scary endgame rally by the Philippines School of Busniess Administration (PSBA) Jaguars to pull off a 95-84 win yesterday in the 14th Petron National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) men's basketball tournament at the Arellano Legarda gym.

They banked on the endgame plays of Harvey Igtos as the Lightnings came away with their third triumph in five matches, and remained on track for one of four semifinal slots. The Jaguars dropped to 1-3.

Earlier, the Arellano University Junior Chiefs debuted with a resounding 150-19 balsting of Polytechnic University of the Philippines in the high school action of this 11-school tournament backed by Petron and with Mikasa and Molten as the official ball.

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Aguinlado avoids upset

Manila Bulletin

The Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals emerged unscathed following a wave of of upsets in the 14th Petron-NCRAA men's basketball tournament

The Generals bounced back from a stinging 89-80 overtime defeat at the hands of the Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) Lightnings, with an 82-66 crushing of the La Salle Dasmarinas Patriots yesterday at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines gym.

Their victory came as the Patriots and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Maroons waylaid thier heavily-favored foes at the Arellano Legarda gym.

Ronjay Buenafe dished out 21 points, including nine big points in the first period as the Generals moved back into the solo lead with their third triumph in four matches.

The PUP Maroons halted the Arellano University Chiefs' bid to move into the solo lead with a 92-80 reversal at the Arellano Legarda gym last Tuesday.

Foul troubled Jeff Khalili, one of the tallest cagers in the league at 6'9". showed the way for the Maroons with 30 points, 10 coming during a decisive final-quarter run, which enabled PUP to move to second at 2-1

Lenon Lasin, who tallied 16 points, connected with a triple with nine secods to go, lifting the Patriots to a 60-59 upset win over the defending champion St. Francis of Assisi Doves also last Tuesday.